Browns QB Deshaun Watson May Have Played Last Down in NFL
Several league executives believe Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has played his last down in the NFL.
The Cleveland Browns admitted it was a huge mistake to trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson at the NFL’s annual meetings last week, but the bad news doesn’t stop there for the Pittsburgh Steelers AFC North rival.
According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, several people around the league think there’s a chance Watson has played his last down in the NFL.
“Executives and agents around the league expressed doubt to ESPN that the former Pro Bowl quarterback will get another opportunity in the NFL, even if healthy,” Oyefusi writes.
The first thing Watson must do to even get another opportunity is get healthy. He re-ruptured his Achilles last season, which will significantly impact his rehab.
“I would say there’s … a likelihood that he doesn’t play [in 2025] than he does from a medical standpoint,” a foot and ankle specialist who has worked with NFL teams told ESPN.
However, even if Watson were to get healthy, the Browns are tied to him for the time being after giving him an NFL-record five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract when they traded three first-round picks to acquire him from the Houston Texans in 2022.
Cleveland owes Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons and there are $173 million in cap hits remaining on his contract, which would turn into dead money if the team were to part ways with him this offseason.
That would be more than double the current NFL record of $85 million that the Denver Broncos took for releasing quarterback Russell Wilson in 2024.
So it’s difficult to imagine the Browns even considering cutting Watson until next offseason. But by then, the 30-year-old’s market may be completely dried up, according to one league executive.
“If released, I don’t see anyone picking him up,” an NFC executive told ESPN. “And then, down the road, the question will be, will he take low-QB money? Would he even be motivated to play at that point?”
Cleveland could also attempt to trade Watson, but another team being willing to take on his remaining salary seems even more unlikely given his on-field struggles and injury history.
Watson has never played in more than seven games in any of his three seasons with the Browns. He was suspended for 11 games in 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy and suffered season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024.
When Watson has played in Cleveland, he has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, completing 341 of 557 passes (61.2%) for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 9-10 record.
The Browns have now had 40 different starting quarterbacks since their return to the NFL in 1999 and there’s a good chance that number will grow next season after trading for former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and owning the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.